Problems with Mystery Warhead Material
Delays to Trident Renewal Programme

6th March 2008
John Ainsley, Scottish CND
 

The United States Department of Energy have encountered significant problems remanufacturing a secret material for Trident warheads. The material called Fogbank is used in the interstage of the 100 Kiloton W76 warhead. The interstage channels energy from the Primary to the Secondary of the thermonuclear weapon.

In 2004 a special facility was built in the United States to remanufacture Fogbank as part of plans to extend the life of W76. These Life Extension plans have recently run into difficulty. The delay is due to serious problems with the manufacture of a Special Material. The US Administration are likely to use this delay to argue that a new Reliable Replacement Warhead is needed.

Because Fogbank is only manufactured at one plant in the United States it is likely that Britain purchased this material for the Trident warheads which have been made at Aldermaston.

[Reported in the New Scientist and Guardian]

 
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